Guard-gate for swing-bridges



(No Model.)

2-SheetsSheet 1'. F.ROEHR..

GUARD GATE FOR SWING BRIDGES.

- Patented-Mar. 14.1882.

(N0 Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

F. ROEHR.

GUARD GATE FORSWING BRIDGES.

Patented Mar. 14,1882.

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GUARD-GATE FOR SWING-BRIDGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,026, dated March14, 1882.

Application filed October 13, 1881. (No model.)

i eago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Guard-Gates for Swing-Bridges;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the inven tion, that will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to construct and operate the same, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referencemarked thereon, forming apart of this specification,

This invention is an improvement on Letters Patent No. 225,535 of March16, 1880.

This invention relates to an improvement in safety or guard gates to beplaced on the approaches of draw or pivot bridges for the purpose ofclosing the passage-ways andguarding against accidents during the timethat the draw is open. The operating mechanism is so constructed andarranged that the gates are auto matically opened and closed by themovement of the bridge and operates with equal facility whether thebridge is swung in one direction or the other.

Figurelis a transversesrction, looking from the central pier suptiorting the bridge. Fig. 2 shows the position of the guard-gates whenclosing the passage-ways, the bridge b'eing swung; Fig. 3, a verticallongitudinal section, and Fig. 4 a detached view of the angularlevers'operatin g the side gates.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the vertical posts, and A theconnecting crossbeam, which forms the main supportingframework for thegates.

A is the bridge-approach upon which the supporting framework is placed;A the bridge proper; B, the main central gate, and a the side gates orbars The hollow uprights or posts A are ordinarily constructed of heavyplanking, and may be set on the bridge-approach at any convenient point,either close up to the edge or farther back on the approach. The maincentral gate, B, for closing the driveway has a vertical movementbetweenthe posts A, and is operated by means of the cords or chains D. One endof these cords is attached to the upper corners of the main gate, asshown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and passes upwardand over the sheaves D, and from thence downward through the interior ofthe posts A, and under the sheaves D to the drum or pulley G, the lowerend of one cord passing under and the other over the drum 0, as shown inFig. l of the drawings. This arran gelnent throws an equal strain oneach end of the gate, as the rotation of the drum 0 winds up or unwindsboth cords at the same time. The principal portion of the operatingmeehanism is located beneath the bridge-approach, as shown inthe severalfigures ofthe drawings. The drum 0 is rotated on the shaft B, upon theouter end of which is placed the pinion d, which is adapted to engagewith the gearwheel d, located upon the shaft (1 On the outer end of theshaft (1' is placed -the rockerarm G, upon the upper end of which is thefriction-roller G which has a frictional contact with the beveled that 0attached to the under side and near the immediate end of the bridge, asshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When the bridge is closed and thepassageway open the lever or rocker-arm 0 will either incline to theright or left of avertical line, in accordance with the direction inwhich the bridge has been closed. When the bridge is being opened thelever'arm C will gradually assume a vertical position, and the main gateslowly descends by the force of gravity, and when the main gateis downand the lever-arm released from contact with the under side of thebridge the lever-arm rests in a vertical plane, as shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings.

The operation is very simple. As the bridge moves in one direction thedrum 0 is rotated through the medium of the pinion (II, the gearwheel d,and the lever-arm O by reason of its bearing on the under side of thebridge. Whenthe bridge is moved the drum O rotates, and the cordsattached to the main gate are wound up or unwound as the gate ascends ordescends with the opening or closing of the bridge. The lower ends ofthe cords or chains D are usually secured to the exterior surface of thedrum 0 by means of ordinary staples; or the ends of the cords may passthrough the shell of the drum and be secured on the inside thereof inany suitable manner. The side gates or bars, a, for closing the footpassage way arerecessed into the parts A, and are pivoted thereto, asshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The inner ends of the bars a have thesemicircular or enlarged part a the upper side being grooved out for thereception of the operating-cord a,

the upper end of this cord being attached to the bar a, and then runningdown and passing under the sheave a, and attached to the eye or lowerend, I), of the angular lever a a detached view of which is given inFig. 4 of the drawings. This angular lever has an operating-bearing inthe staple or eye I), the upper end having a frictional contact with theunder sideof a downward-projecting part of the cleat 0 When the bridgeis closed the bars or side gates are raised to a vertical position inthe posts A and the angular lever a assumes the position shown in Fig.'2 of the drawings. The

spring b placed in the recess and at the back side of the side gates,at, serves the purpose of 20 starting the side gates toward a horizontalposition, and insuringa positive action at all times.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Pateat, is--- The combination, with the drum 0, the shaft B,the pinion d, the gear-wheel d, the gearwheel shaft (P, the lever-arm G,the frictionroller the beveled cleat C and the bridge A all constructed,arranged, and operating as 0 herein shown and described.

' FRANK ROEHR.

Witnesses SAMUEL A. GOULD, L. H. PAGE.

